A South Korean court has recognized misogyny as a motive for a hate crime, a decision welcomed by women’s rights groups in the country.

The court was hearing the claim of a woman who worked in a workshop and was attacked by a young man. The attacker shouted “feminists want wood” because the woman had short hair.

The woman lost hearing in her left ear and is now unemployed, campaigners supporting her said.

The Changwon District Court sentenced the man to three years in prison and in its reasoning specifically states that the crime was motivated by misogyny. The decision is not subject to appeal, a court spokesman said.

The 20-year-old assailant committed an offense “due to unfounded hatred and prejudice against women,” he added.

The victim’s lawyer welcomed the decision, saying it paves the way for a safer country for women. “Until now, I have not seen any case where a court has explicitly ruled that misogyny was a motive for a crime,” Lee Gyeong-ha added. “Many of the perpetrators say they don’t hate women but feminists. This ruling is important because it clarifies that saying things like ‘feminists want wood’ is misogyny,” she explained.

Although South Korea is a technological powerhouse, it remains conservative as a society. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, archer Ann Shan, who won three gold medals, was bullied online and in person because she had short hair: that to some meant she was a “feminist”. Some even went so far as to demand that she return her medals and apologize.

Feminist activists in Gyeongsang province, where the crime took place, called the decision “historic”. “Misgender crimes were not sufficiently punished by the courts, which reinforced gender stereotypes and hindered gender equality,” said Lee Gyeong-ork of the Yeongnam Women’s Association.